COZUMEL TRAVEL

Cozumel Beach Hotels

COZUMEL TRAVEL TIPS

An immensely popular diving spot since 1961, when Jacques Cousteau, led by local guides, showed its spectacular reefs to the world, Cozumel lies 71km south of Cancún. Measuring 53km by 14km, it is Mexico’s largest island. Called Ah-Cuzamil-Peten (Island of Swallows) by its earliest inhabitants, Cozumel has become a world-famous diving and cruise ship destination. Hurricane Wilma did some serious damage to the snorkeling sites around the island, but most of the deep-water reefs missed the brunt of the storm. Sadly, the squadrons of eagle rays have dwindled, due to overfishing of the shellfish stocks – no shellfish, no eagle rays.


While diving and snorkeling are the main draws around here, the tourist zone offers lots of shopping ‘deals’ (often not very cheap) and a pleasant town square to spend the afternoon. In February there is a festive Carnival, which brings dancers festooned with feathers out into the streets. There are also some small Maya ruins and a few eco-themed parks.

COZUMEL HOTELS

 COZUMEL HOTEL

There's something about swinging in a hammock in your own living room that perfectly fulfills fantasies of living in the tropics—especially when you're gazing through sliding glass doors straight out to sea. Rent one of these ten one-bedroom apartments for a week, and you just might consider spending a lifetime peeling papayas in the kitchen, snorkeling off the terrace, and soaking in the bathtub. Condumel looks like a modest Maya temple with its carved gray walls beside the blue water, but the bedrooms, sunken living rooms, and fully equipped kitchens are all modern. Sure it's a hassle going out to eat (there's no restaurant on site), but you'll feel like an islander shopping in produce markets and catching your own dorado for dinner. Bill Horn, Condumel's creator, owns the excellent Aqua Safari dive shop and puts together surprisingly reasonable dive